In what everybody already saw coming for weeks (months) now, Apple has just unveiled its latest product, a tablet called the iPad. Basically a bigger version of the iPhone, Steve Jobs presented the iPad during a press event in San Francisco. The most interesting news? It's powered by... An Apple processor, called the A4. The most shocking news? The price.

I expected more from apple, not because of the hype but because of what they have done before.

Personally like it has been quoted on every forum that this really is an XL iPod Touch.

When Apple first released the iPhone i was amazed, it was like nothing i had ever seen before. The UI and hardware was a perfect combination and i could wait to explore all of the advanced features the phone had. With the iPad announcement i felt none of it. It appeared to me a rather lazy development.

Now a lot of other forums, people have said it's rather lackluster without really saying why.

The reasons i give is that, im sure first apple could have done a better job with the UI and the way we interact with the tablet. The iPhone OS and UI is ideally suited to the small screen of the iPhone. To me the UI felt really left out that they didn't try and could have really gone to town and come up with something pretty spectacular with the new screen real estate.

The second is that the OS could have been more functional, i.e. a full blown OS. When i do use this device i want to share files, i don't want to do it via email and syncing over usb. I want to be able to access network shares and perhaps have an SD card reader. I thought of sharing via bluetooth in a swipe (minority report).

Another thing i would say is that the device is also intended as an ebook reader, however i don't think the sony e-readers and kindle have much to worry about. As i own a Sony E-Reader with E-Ink and it's a real pleasure to read books on this device because of the e-ink. Now eye strain and readable in any light source (bright sun and low light). However i can't imagine reading a book on a device with a backlit screen similar to my laptop, browsing the web and email is fine, but to stare for a good couple of hours would give me eye strain. Again another thing i thought apple would really have put a lot of thought in, having something which could have it's backlight switched off and have a e-ink type / style to reading books.

I just really thought they would have put more effort into the device and really create the next iPod type consumer electronic (i.e. genre changing).

I can see where they are going with the product and the intended audience is not lost on me (i.e. a coffee table top computer). However i due believe it won't see in any great numbers and will be a project to group with the Apple TV. Where there is nothing actually wrong with the device, however the niche for the product is smaller than the iPhone and Mac markets.